Do textures and patterns make you grateful for your eyes and hands? These hand-built ceramic bowls enhance the textures that surround us from woven fabrics to living things. Nature and woven burlap are carefully pressed into clay to reveal the delicate textures patterns that live around us. Send a message to Mary Jo via sunporchartstudio@gmail.com if you would like to make purchase for the holiday season. Prices range from $20-$25 and can be shipped for an additional charge.

What other patterns and textures could live a beautiful life pressed in clay?

“So how do I just let it all be, bear witness and get into the swing? I love Ellington’s tune, “It don’t mean thing (if it ain’t got that swing).” Just let it be. Bear witness to the voices and the instruments–whether it’s a jazz band or life–and then move with them, flow with them. If you can do that, then you’ll be a lot happier because in life you’re always in a band and you’re always swinging. You’re not forcing anything and you’re not being forced.”

How does this paragraph make you feel?
Because I feel alright. Like all is well and as it should be and my only human task is to ride the wave of life, be aware of what is and react in a positive way that supports the humans, animals and earth around me. That may seem a bit far out there to you at first, but let me put it into context: I work as a Visual Arts teacher of young children, so I can’t help but relate this idea to the ways of the educator and the way we manage our learning space.

Take for example “you’re not forcing anything and you’re not being forced” from the passage above. Traditionally, classrooms have been spaces that have a full-plated agenda and many tasks that must be followed to meet the goals of that set agenda. Maybe your state mandates a set of benchmarks, hence being “forced” and the teacher must “force” this agenda on her students. I have led many activities that begin with a step-by-step demonstration and follow with students forcing those same steps in the exact order to produce a product that looks quite similar to the one I made in the introduction of the activity. This type of teaching does have great success, if a specific product is what your are wishing to achieve. I am not undermining the need for goals, but I am challenging the way we go about achieving our goals with students. Recently, I have tasted something that has opened me up to who my students really are, what they are capable of and how I can be the one who can “move with them, flow with them”. I can be the adult who meets them where they are and supports them on a personal and more meaningful path of learning.

Don Buckley gave me my first taste of how leaning into what is can help teachers become more aware of where problems begin and therefore more successful at solving them. This process has a name. It is simply: Design Thinking. Don taught me that my students already have the answers; that they are holders of an endless amount of innovative ideas and that they are capable of fulfilling tasks that I may have already pre-fabricated for them. During a one-day workshop, Don encouraged participants to roam the campus asking students about the qualities of their best teachers. These simple interviews would later be used as data to inform a new product to benefit teachers and students. It’s so simple, right? If you want to know what students are getting out of their school experience, then gee, why not ASK THEM?! And this is why I have given myself over to the question. That curvy and confident open-ended interrogative clause that screams “I can be anything”. But these questions are not confined. They do not ask: “What color is this?”, insinuating a proper answer. Rather, they curiously wonder: “What do you notice about this color?” These questions leave so much space for creativity. They value risk taking and they thrive on possibility.

If you are an educator, you may be thinking: “Oh that’s totally Inquiry-Based Learning !”, and you are right on. Leading a learning experience with guiding questions, or a Query if you’re teaching at a Quaker school, puts students’ questions at the center of a curriculum. But my story does not end here, rather it just begins. Because inquiry has led me to feel comfortable with “moving and flowing and swinging” with what is. Using Inquiry-Based ideas to guide my teaching has enabled me to accept what is happening in my studio, ask questions that further dissect a situation and decide where to go next rather than take control and drive it where I think it should move to. Bernie Glassman comments on swinging with what is: “You’ll get more done because you are allowing the creativity to flow”.
Which brings us to the intersection of Inquiry and Improv. The first rule of Improvisational Theater leaves no space for contradictions and praises the phrase “Yes, and…”. It asks you to accept where you are, notice the temperature, and make a helpful move to support the group. Can you think of a more clear mirror image of what teaching offers to us each day? Have you ever felt a pain in your chest when you direct a student to a place where they were not naturally headed to just because you had a deadline? Or tried to manipulate the environment in a way that just was not mean to be? That is a clear sign that you are trying to control rather than accepting reality.
So I gave up my need to control every minute of instruction time, took up improv, and have been using a Design Thinking approach to empowering my students and building their self-efficacy.

Here is how I began:

At the start of every school year, all artists in grades 2-5 construct a portfolio, a 24” x 36” paper folded in half and taped at the two shorter sides. In the past, I have demonstrated where to fold, how to tape, where to place your name, etc. This past year I stopped controlling the framework and simply began by asking students a few guiding questions: “What is a portfolio? Why do we need it and what do we use it for? How can we make it more fun to use? stronger, easier to navigate through? interactive?” No more forcing for me, I was putting it all on my young artists because they CAN handle it.

And so they blew my mind with ideas. I was fueled by “Yes, and I have these tiny envelopes that will be a great size” and “Yes, and you can attach it easier with this tab”. The ideas belonged to THEM and I was a supportive figure offering materials and simple skills to help manifest their innovative ideas.

Don’s courses on Design Thinking have also helped me ask thoughtful questions to achieve the juicy answers I really want but didn’t know how to get. Take end of the year assessments, for instance. In the past I have utilized a questionnaire or a one on one interview but never found out deeper ideas about my students as artists.

Until I asked my fourth graders what it was like to be a fourth grade artist. And this is an example of what I got back. Look at these complex illustrations of what happens in a young artists brain. Pure Brilliance. There is so much information there in pictures that I can use for a juicy discussion. And now I have a deeper awareness how capable my students are and can use this data when designing future assignments.

So I attribute my new insights to the genius that is Don Buckley, an understanding of improvisational theater and its ability to lead me on my path to freedom from constant control. And lastly, Bernie Glassman on going with the flow of things:
“In life you’re always in a band and you’re always swinging”.

I’ll leave you with a few wall spreads of encouraging playing cards that my fifth grade artists designed in September to fuel a year of creative thinking and risk taking.

I challenge you to begin your units with curious questions. Remember what it feels like to be in charge of your learning adventure and what types of steps spark your sense of wonder and generate pure excitement and motivation.
And then please tell me about it!

SUN PORCH STUDIO is thrilled to announce some new opportunities for art making during the summer of 2016.
If you are an art enthusiast, young or older, you won’t be able to pass these up.
This year, the Three Village CSD has 3 half days scheduled for the last week of school. If you are a parent in need of child care and would like it topped off with some serious artistic action, please read on.

Sign up for one, two or all three days!
Register NOW as space is limited to 8 students.

What will we be doing?

Sun Porch Studio offers art instruction to children ages 6-12 with a focus on building skills, creativity, and self-confidence. All children are considered working artists and their imaginative ideas help guide their personal creative process. Although children work in the same art medium, instruction is given on an individual basis. To help each artist work towards a personal potential, classes are small and cap at 8 students.

At CAMP ON THE SUN PORCH, young artists will be focusing in one medium each day. On Wednesday, June 22, we will be exploring acrylic painting on canvas while observing nature’s gift of color, and creating zoomed in flower portraits. Do you know what artist inspired this form of art making? Yeah, you guessed it, Georgia O’Keefe. She once said “No one really sees a flower, because to see a flower takes time, like to have a friend takes time. We will definitely take our time observing various flowers while noticing their unique shape and color.

On Thursday, June 23, young artists will be building sculptures made from recycled materials such as wood blocks and scraps, corks, bottle caps, and much more. We will be focusing on balance and composition with an opportunity to incorporate color using acrylic paint and paper collage. Artist, Louise Nevelson was curious about bringing new life to an object that may have been discarded: “When you put together things that other people have thrown out, you’re really bringing them to life – a spiritual life that surpasses the life for which they were originally created.”

On, Friday, June 24, we will exploring the art of Printmaking using a relief printing method. In relief printing, ink is applied to a raised surfaced, called a printing plate, and then transferred or printed on paper by rubbing. This process encourages new and innovative ways of creating an image, because you can ink up your printing plate as many times as you want! Printmakers often make an edition of 300-500 prints! Although we may not have time to create that enormous amount, young artists will have the opportunity to explore printing on paper, greeting cards, and a t-shirt.

To find out more about CAMP ON THE SUN PORCH and to REGISTER your children ages 6-12, please contact:
Mary Jo Allegra sunporchartstudio@gmail.comor call 631-379-8068

We hope to see you at the Sun Porch this summer!

During the warmer months, SUMMER ARTS @ THE SUN PORCH offers art workshops to adults in landscape painting, batik painting and ceramic glazing. Our creative experiences are for adults who yearn to remember what it feels like to get messy and create magic with their hands. No experience is EVER necessary, however, you must be willing to laugh and value Wabisabi, the belief that there is beauty in the imperfect.
Stay tuned for workshops in late June 2016:

Ceramic Glazing: where participants will be hand-painting large serving platters or pasta bowls using ceramic glazes. All finished products will be fired in a kiln and can be used with love and placed in dishwasher.

&

Batik Silk Painting: Explore color and composition while hand-painting your own silk scarf. After drawing with a water-based wax resist, silk paint will be applied bringing life and vibrancy using a fool-proof method that will be sure to please the eye.

Creative Art Parties are offered in tie dye, jewelry making and sculptural painting activities. Art Parties are most meaningful with children ages 5 and up in groups of 15 or less. A two-hour event is organized with a special art making activity, an art related game, and creative cupcake decorating.

Private Art Instruction is offered at the studio and in your home. Students explore a variety of techniques and materials such as acrylic and oil painting, watercolor and gouache painting, observational drawing, clay hand building and printmaking.

Founder, Instructor, Mary Jo Allegra, currently teaches Visual Arts at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, NY. She received a BFA from Pratt Institute and an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University. Mary Jo believes that experience across learning disciplines inspires depth and creativity in works of art. Her teaching style integrates imagination with life experiences and immerses children in an array of art mediums and techniques to help them build their own personal aesthetic.

Under the name of ArtEngine, we’ve got an Etsy shop where you can purchase cheap, but fabulous, colorful and inspiring posters. 8 x 8 inch color prints are available for $10! Click on this ArtEngine link to view my shop.

This is the place where you will find art made by artists from all over the world someday, but currently, just the USA.
Do you want to take part in the Friends Academy Global Draw?
If yes, then click on this highlighted link to the Google presentation. It is there where you will find all you need to know about joining the art making fun.
Basically, our idea is based on offering up a simple drawing direction to the world and seeing where people take it. Like how we perceive the prompt and allow our creative minds to work with it. The images below were made based on a simple direction to divide a square into 3 rectangles, color the larger one blue and the two smaller triangles any other colors.We named it “out of the blue, a rainbow is born“. Each group assembled their individual designs into a larger whole while keeping in mind how they would tessellate, or connect, to make a cohesive design. View the phots that were shared below. You may see stripes, diamonds, zig zags. What will you create?

Made by Fifth Grade Truth @ Friends Academy, Locust Valley, NY, USA

Made by Fifth Grade Logic@ Friends Academy, Locust Valley, NY, USA

Made by Heather Stanich and Oswego East High School, Oswego, IL, USA. They also sent in process photos of how the final collaboration was born. Being aware of the artistic process helps us understand how our ideas are born. Do you enjoy viewing artists in action? View the process photos below.

View the assembling in action above. It involves a discussion of ideas and the ability to change and start again.

Made by Shannon Timoney and grades 4, 5, and 6 at Peconic Community School in Aquebogue, NY, USA

Made by Madison Beasley and University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

Made by Donna Tremblay and David R. Cawley Middle School, Hooksett, NH, USA

Aaaaaand… we’ve got a hashtag! Thanks to Karen Blumberg. She is brilliant!

#FACEYOURSELF. Learn it. Live it. USE IT!

Day Two: An outdoor experience in full sun with music and college students chillin’ on the quad. (I’m so hip like a 20 something, I use the term “chillin'”)

What do YOU see?

I have discovered that each portrait does look a bit like each individual. I’m convinced our brain does it automatically. I believe we are programmed to see what we want to see. Do you?

The interactive dials and switches and pom pom punch holes allow you to program your portrait. The choices are:

COLOR or NEUTRAL
ABSTRACT > MINIMALIST or CUBIST
CONCRETE > NATURAL or ALTERED
and
HUMAN or ANIMAL or MYTHOLOGICAL

Basically, there are a number of different groupings you can create. Is anyone out there eager to take on an Algebraic equation to figure it out? It would be considered Algebra, right? You just let me know.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed your visit. Stay tuned for the next siting of….#FACEYOURSELF.

Have you ever been inspired to do something far beyond your comfort zone? Like taking a wild chance or using your body in a way that is just not common for you?
I have.
Lately, I have been curious about human communication and connectedness and all that stuff that makes up the way we interact and the way we feel about interacting. You know, like our interpersonal intelligence.

I am also deeply intrigued by the idea of the mask. The way a disguise can offer you a special power that your body just can’t fulfill on its own. I am convinced that if we walked around being aware of our best selves, we would all be superheroes. Everyday.

I want to feel more comfortable in my own skin. I want others to see themselves as beautiful. So, I decided to put myself out there and draw people. This would force me to be myself and talk to strangers. This would allow me to create art that will, hopefully, help you SEE your natural beauty.

My friend, Joy, introduced me to videos of the Face-O-Mat. It was built by artist, Tobias Gutmann as a portrait making machine. Tobias’ machine was created to comment on how we are obsessed with machines. The videos on his website inspired me to do something with my own twist.

With Tobias’ blessing: “Go for it and Go WILD!”, I built one. A programmable portrait portal, that is.
We named it: FACE YOURSELF.

Here are some photos of Day One:

That’s me, drawing with my glasses on so I see everyone’s face with clarity.

Here are a few goddesses who accepted fame on this post. Thank you to all who shared their beauty with me and were open to a new experience.

Are you intrigued about how it works? Well, then you will need to stop by Stony Brook University on Wednesday, August 26. Visit again to find out where FACE YOURSELF with be in the future.

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Welcome!

This blog documents an inspired artist's stream of consciousness and tells the story of the creative encounters she has with the world around her. You will find nothing cookie cutter and everything worthwhile.